Book 1
Book 1 of the Grim Dream series is titled simply The Grim Dream. Book 1 introduces the main characters and begins the adventures of Princess Mikoa Lothaen of Bruhinn. Summary Mikoa promises to help a desperate witch named Aera, but Aera is captured and executed by Itaebi Fellstaff, a skilled Ardent witch-hunter. Out of guilt and curiosity, Mikoa finishes Aera's quest, which opens a magical rift in the town of Snow Anchor. Mikoa meets Nazagorn inside the rift. Evil creatures pour from the rift and destroy the town. Mikoa narrowly escapes, thanks to Fiorah. Mikoa is accused of witchcraft, stripped of her royal titles, and forced into exile. She joins the Chalice Moon, a traveling theatre company, to hide from Itaebi, who is now hunting her. She learns to play the fiddle. A loyal Bruhinnen soldier, Arron Silverspear, pledges to protect her. She befriends Fiorah and Samurrian, skilled ville solant performers and acrobats. Together they free Thorn, a nor-folk half-giant druid convicted of wizardry. They battle a wraeth that followed Mikoa from Snow Anchor. In the city of Cloudport, Mikoa seeks out Khazr the Red Gambler, a man known to shelter outcasts like her and Thorn. He teaches her basic magical technique. They narrowly escape from Itaebi by using a magical runic mark. They escape the wraeth and other minions of Haelfaun by crossing through a fae dell. Mikoa gets word that Snow Anchor is overrun and her father is missing. She believes she can close the rift that she accidentally opened. Itaebi corners Mikoa again, and Mikoa activates a siabra pathstone to escape. Mikoa trades a love letter from Prince Goddard to the siabra for passage. The siabra send Mikoa and Itaebi back to Snow Anchor. Together, they finally kill the wraeth. Mikoa steals Aera's red glass dagger from Itaebi and tries to close the rift. Sinthrall, the Forgotten God of lust, emerges from the rift, by way of the dagger, and is restored to Landfall after thousands of years in exile. Leaving Itaebi for dead, Sinthrall teleports himself and Mikoa to his volcano lair, in Haelfaun. He intends to use her magical power to free the other Forgotten Gods. Mikoa fights back and is defeated. In desperation, she uses a trick that Khazr taught her to detonate the lava under Sinthrall's volcano, causing the entire mountain to explode. At the last second, Mikoa escapes using a runic mark left behind by Khazr. Sinthrall is consumed in the explosion. His volcano becomes a crater. Mikoa returns to Khazr, who promises to teach her how to control her magic, so that she may battle the forces of Haelfaun and rescue her father. The book ends with her learning powerful combat magic and confronting her fear of swimming. Chapter-by-Chapter Outline (Spoilers!) Prologue (Mikoa - Julenhall) The Ghuul of Julenhall “What wonders all I rush to see; please those I leave, remember me.” -''The Sunset Lullaby The night before Princess Mikoa Lothaen turns nine, she must perform a violin recital at Julenhall Estate. Nurse Belladay helps her prepare and cares for her little brother Grumdar. We learn that Mikoa's mother, Queen Callandra, is dead. Mikoa never knew her, but Nurse Belladay knew her well. Grumdar plays with toy monsters (ga'arg) and soldiers. Mikoa is excellent at violin, able to play from memory, without written music. Before the recital, a mysterious creepy maid seems to be watching Mikoa. We meet Mikoa's uncle and aunt, Garrimon and Pennibelle. Mikoa sees Itaebi Fellstaff among the audience. Mikoa's father, King Beauregaerd, cannot attend the recital. Mikoa is disappointed. Nurse Belladay comforts her by giving her Callandra's starstone pendant. Mikoa plays ''The Sunset Lullaby. The maid transforms into a mor'ghuul and threatens Mikoa, calling her ziraduun. Everyone at the recital panics. Itaebi uses shadowbane and a dreamcatcher to back the ghuul into a wall. Mikoa is almost knocked unconscious by the shadowbane and dreamcatcher, but doesn't realize it. The ghuul teleports behind Itaebi and whips her in the skull, knocking her out. Garrimon defends Mikoa. His attack passes through the ghuul, leaving it unharmed. The ghuul whips Garrimon in the face, knocking him out. The ghuul dashes for Mikoa. Mikoa screams and closes her eyes. Nurse Belladay tackles the ghuul, and Itaebi (revived) kills it with a dagger to the eye. Garrimon is alive. Nurse Belladay is whipped to shreds and dead. Mikoa cries over Belladay's body. Chapter 1 (Mikoa - Snow Anchor) Snow Anchor “And to the west, Bruhinn. First of the thousand-year kingdoms. Last to fall.” -Neitsches the Conqueror Princess Mikoa Lothaen's royal procession rolls into the town of Snow Anchor. She is traveling with her younger brother, Grumdar. They are older, now (Grumdar is trying to grow a mustache). Mikoa playfully mocks him. Grumdar is reading a book he got from the Rufelle family. Mikoa prefers romance. They discuss Mikoa's engagement to Prince Goddard Enthaen of the Holy Thlos. Mikoa has been trading letters with him, but has never met him. They will meet for the first time in Snow Anchor, before the midsummer solstice banquet. The solstice will be Mikoa's eighteenth age-day. They cross a bridge. Children are playing and swimming in the river. Mikoa feels uneasy. A squad of elf-kin Ardent Shadowhunters rides by, in a rush. Arron Silverspear, of Grumdar's personal guard, leaps onto the rolling royal carriage. Arron and Grumdar are friends. Mikoa dislikes Arron immediately. Arron reports that Prince Goddard's procession has already arrived at Snow Anchor Palace, as well as a villet solant theater company. (the Chalice Moon) The procession comes to an abrupt halt outside town. There is commotion. Arron climbs up the carriage side to see. Mikoa and Grumdar peek out. A desperate ziraduun woman (Aera Tullandy) has magically seized the guards' weapons, blocks the road, and demands to see Mikoa. Chapter 2 (Mikoa - Snow Anchor) The Witch in the Road Mikoa carefully approaches Aera. She senses Aera's magic. An army of mundane soldiers are no match for a single skilled ziraduun. Aera is holding the Red Glass Dagger. She begs Mikoa for help. Aera is from Jotrfyn, in the Windlands. She has a husband and four children. She is being chased by the Ardent and will be put to death if she is caught. She is trying to reach the Snow Anchor to prevent something terrible from happening. She asks Mikoa for asylum. The women sense a kinship. Mikoa explains that only the Conclave can pardon ziraduun, but Prince Goddard is in town, and he can petition the Conclave on Aera's behalf. In the meantime, Mikoa promises to safeguard Aera. Grumdar reacts with shock. Aera relaxes and thanks Mikoa. Her magic suddenly stops, and the floating weapons drop. Mikoa falls to her knees, dizzy. Itaebi Fellstaff, carrying a dreamcatcher, appears and kills Aera. Mikoa is horrified. Itaebi takes the Red Glass Dagger, thanks Mikoa for her help and leaves. Chapter 3 (Mikoa - Snow Anchor) Snow Anchor Palace The royal procession rolls into Snow Anchor Palace. Mikoa is somber and conflicted. She asks Grumdar if he's read any books about wizrada. She thinks about Aera's family in Jotrfyn. For comfort, she rereads a short, old letter from Prince Goddard. Grumdar remarks that she always carries at least one of Goddard's letters, and she's read them all ninety-nine times. He asks if she loves Goddard; she answers they've never met. The Palace is the closest thing Mikoa has to a home. She came here every summer, growing up, and knows every hall and hidden tunnel. It has high walls, ringed with statues of ga'arg. Grumdar idly observes that if the Palace were ever under siege, the war is already lost. He points out flaws in the defenses, since it is a palace rather than a proper castle. They observe the parked carriages of Prince Goddard and the villet solant. The Snow Anchor relic is visible over rooftops, toward the center of town. Haddegaer greets them. King Beauregaerd is busy. Mikoa declines escort to her room, and heads to the cellar instead. Chapter 4 (Mikoa - Snow Anchor) Arcanium Mikoa heads for the secret Palace library. She recalls playing hide-and-seek with Cassioletta Hart, when they were both young. Unlike the guest library, this library is well-hidden and is more of a storage area. The library is dark. Mikoa is looking for a specific book. A nook is lit, and a Cayrien monk is there, studying a book. It is the exact book that Mikoa was looking for. The monk introduces himself as Saj. They discuss the book -- Arcanium. It is from the Myriad. The Cayrien Order does not have any copies -- this is the only known copy. Mikoa knows about it, because she read it as a child, even though Nurse Belladay told her not to. Arcanium discusses the theory of a parallel magical realm, called the grim dream, which can affect this world, and how certain people can sense that realm. Mikoa asks how; and how would a person know if they were sensing the grim dream. She asks if there is any "cure" -- can a ziraduun return to normal? Saj's answers are cryptic. He is creepy and affectionate toward Mikoa. Mikoa leaves without her questions answered. Saj implies they will meet again. Chapter 5 (Mikoa - Snow Anchor) The Chalice Moon “My prize. Swift of hand. Dancer, singer, expert on beam and walking-wire. A true glory to behold.” On her way back to her room, lost in thought, Mikoa finds members of the Chalice Moon (Benereau, Fiorah, and Samurrian) practicing fencing in a parlor. Benereau introduces Fiorah and Samurrian and orders them to perform a short routine for Mikoa. Fiorah's hair is exotic pink. She juggles scarves. Mikoa cheers and compliments them, unknowingly violating Guild decorum. Cassioletta Hart appears and summons Mikoa to King Beauregeard. In the hall, Mikoa and Cassioletta reconnect. Cassioletta is jealous of Mikoa's arranged marriage with Prince Goddard. Two common men are courting Cassioletta. Mikoa is jealous of how much easier and simpler it is for Cassioletta. She remembers how they used to trade places as children, and imagines herself in Cassioletta's place. Mikoa's royal tattoo now makes that impossible. Chapter 6 (Mikoa - Snow Anchor) The High Raven “In every night there is always a first star.” -Tazitan proverb Mikoa arrives at her father's chambers. He does not offer her a pipe. She takes one anyway. Beauregaerd mentions that Garrimon and Pennibelle are in town; back from a multi-year expedition to the edge of Haelfaun. They discuss her coming marriage to Prince Goddard. He asks her to behave well at the midsummer banquet tomorrow, when they will meet for the first time. He mentions how she has acted badly and rejected prior suitors, but it paid off, because Goddard is the highest-ranking suitor yet. He laments that this is the sort of thing her mother would have handled, and he's handling it poorly. She bristles at his overbearing micromanagement and resists the implication that she is marrying for rank. He defends himself by implying that he married for love -- Callandra was an extraordinary woman. Mikoa stops short of saying she loves Goddard. She's never met him; they've only exchanged letters. Itaebi Fellstaff arrives for a private audience with the King. Mikoa is outraged over Aera's death. She questions the fairness of executing people for something they cannot control. Itaebi verbally defends herself and reports that she is hunting a ziraduun named Khazr the Red Gambler, in Cloudport. He harbors known ziraduun and helps smuggle them out of Bruhinn. She also reports that the volcano Mount Sinthrall is smoking in Haelfaun. The King gives her his blessing, and she leaves. The King confesses that Garrimon reported the same thing, about the volcano. Mikoa and Beauregaerd smoke quietly into the night, in thought, until Mikoa leaves. In her chamber, she opens a box with her collection of letters from Goddard. She reads one and thinks of her mother. Chapter 7 (Mikoa - Snow Anchor) The Legend of the Ogrim Harp “North turned to south. East became west. The cities unmoored, and we watched them drift away, leaving us to the mercy of life too short to understand the truth.” -The Legend of the Fae Hand On the day of the midsummer banquet, Mikoa strolls through the Palace garden. Cassioletta spies on Prince Goddard and reports back. Mikoa observes statues of gods, which she finds obscene. She listens to a garden violin recital by Jaela Numiren, who is nine. Mikoa has not touched her violin since that night at Julenhall. She dresses for the banquet and drinks Serberra wine. She is nervous. Mikoa attends the banquet. Goddard is late. Itaebi is present. Garrimon and Pennibelle say hello. Garrimon's face is deformed and scarred from chin to brow, and he's missing an eye -- from the ghuul of Julenhall. The Chalice Moon puts on an elaborate performance in Mikoa's honor, called The Legend of the Ogrim Harp. Fiorah and Samurrian portray the legendary Myriad heroes, Dervish and Cutlass. Fiorah performs her Ti Bet Chi (Dervish dance). Mikoa tells Grumdar that she talked to Fiorah; Grumdar explains that it's a breach of Guild etiquette. Goddard arrives quietly, during the show. At the end of the show, the Chalice Moon gives Mikoa a golden harp, from Prince Goddard. Chapter 8 (Mikoa - Snow Anchor) Prince Preeminent Mikoa drinks more wine and is drunk. She tries to find Fiorah, to ask why Guild custom prohibits talking to villet solant. She bumps into Itaebi and Quillibrin Ulrum. Quillibrin is awkward. Itaebi believes Myriad legends are a warning about the sins of wizrada. Mikoa is still angry about Aera. Goddard asks Mikoa to dance. They dance and talk, face to face for the first time. They walk together. Drunk, Mikoa confesses her enjoyment of Goddard's letters. He is nice. Mikoa feels lightheaded and a little panicked. She excuses herself. She slips through servants' corridors to get outside and get fresh air. She vomits wine and breaks her dress. Fiorah is there, having followed to make sure Mikoa was okay. Fiorah's hair is black; the pink hair was a wig. Fiorah stole a bottle of wine and offers it to Mikoa. Mikoa feels terrible. They talk about Goddard. Mikoa is confused about her feelings, but is afraid she doesn't love him. She wants fae love (true love) but seems to be marrying for rank. Mikoa asks about the villet solant and Guild custom. In exchange, Fiorah asks Mikoa to show her the Snow Anchor. Chapter 9 (Mikoa - Snow Anchor) Midsummer Night “Though myth may tell of distant glories lost, what begins today is the myth of times to come.” -Thlossian proverb Fiorah convinces Mikoa to take her to the Snow Anchor. They walk and discuss Mikoa's tattoo and the villet solant. Mikoa sees Fiorah's servitude as slavery. Fiorah explains that the Jeceau Empire is collapsing, and the villet solant saved her life. The streets are lively. Mikoa knows the town very well -- she grew up here. She tells stories of the town, from her childhood. They approach the towering Snow Anchor, at the center of town. They pass the Chapel of Meadowlarks, where Mikoa assumed she would get married someday. Instead, she will be marrying Goddard in Nomon Linnor, in the Holy Thlos. They arrive at the Snow Anchor. Fiorah is in awe. People are starting to recognize Mikoa. Mikoa remembers that Aera was trying to reach the Snow Anchor before some unknown bad thing could happen. She touches the Snow Anchor and instantly enters a nightmarish, cloudy dreamscape. Chapter 10 (Mikoa - Snow Anchor) The Woe of Dreams Mikoa is in a dreamscape version of Snow Anchor. The skin of her palm is incinerated, but she feels no pain. She senses herself being watched by unseen horrors, and flees through town. The horrors chase her, and when she loses them, they proceed toward the Snow Anchor. They soak into the anchor and disappear. Nazagorn, in man-kin form, finds Mikoa. Nazagorn begs for help, saying she died and now she's trapped here, among these woespawned horrors. Mikoa despairs, thinking she died, too. Nazagorn checks Mikoa and determines she is not dead, but says Mikoa needs to "hurry" back, or she will be destroyed when she "swims upstream" against the River of Time. Nazagorn explains that this dreamscape is "between" Haelfaun and the real world. It connects them, and all woe passes through it. Each shadowy horror is the soul of a woespawned ga'arg or ghuul. When Mikoa stepped "through" the Snow Anchor, she opened a massive fissure in the "shell" around the flesh, and now woe is pouring through. Mikoa asks how to close the gate; Nazagorn implies that she can't unless she has the "key," and it would require going all the way through to the other side to shut it down -- all the way to Haelfaun, never to return. Mikoa chooses to go back through the Snow Anchor instead. Nazagorn suggests the gate will close naturally by itself, given enough time. In the dreamscape, they are attacked by a spirit resembling a man-kin. Nazagorn transforms into dragh-kin and cuts off the spirit's leg. It retreats. As Mikoa flees into the Snow Anchor, Nazagorn begs for help again. Mikoa asks how. Nazagorn's answer is cryptic. Right before she touches the Snow Anchor, Mikoa sees Sinthrall, and he sees her. She touches the Snow Anchor and is teleported into a storm of fire. Her body is destroyed by the flame. Her naked, bodiless soul falls through the clouds above town. In the clouds, she passes an eerie, abandoned cloud city, hanging from the heavens by magical thread. The town below is in ruins, flattened by a shockwave centered on the Snow Anchor. She falls toward the Snow Anchor, and the shockwave sucks inward, restoring the buildings to their undamaged state -- time playing backwards. She cannot stop her fall and hits the ground screaming. Chapter 11 (Mikoa - Snow Anchor) Woespawn Mikoa is tackled by Fiorah, and a massive shockwave explodes outward from the Snow Anchor, flattening most of the town. The Chapel of Meadowlarks is gone. Mikoa's clothes are all burned off, except for her starstone pendant. Mikoa's palm is horribly burned and very painful. Fiorah apologizes for bringing Mikoa to the Snow Anchor. Survivors emerge from the ruins. A wounded Ardent shadowhunter draws his sword and calls Mikoa ziraduun. He is terrified. Mikoa pleads that it is a misunderstanding. The ground starts shaking. The shadowhunter panics and tries to light a shadowbane candle. Just as he gets it lit, a ga'arg bursts from the ground and rips him apart. Ga'arg start popping up all around them. Fiorah dashes away, then comes back with an Ardent horse to save Mikoa. They ride away into the ruined streets. The town is in panic. Ga'arg are everywhere. Screams and chaos. Streets are blocked by debris. Fiorah tries to get back to Snow Anchor Palace, but Mikoa does not recognize the ruined streets. Her town is destroyed. They are cornered by a ga'arg and forced to fight. Fiorah kills it. Mikoa vomits down the side of the horse. Chapter 12 (Fiorah - Snow Anchor) The Gate Mikoa and Fiorah find Snow Anchor Palace. The gates are closed, and panicked townspeople are crushing each other, trying to push their way in. Fiorah tries different angles, but can't ride through the crowd. Mikoa loses consciousness. Fiorah declares she is carrying the Princess Preeminent of Bruhinn, but the gate guard captain (Captain Dumwarden) does not believe her. Another guard (Arron Silverspear) recognizes Mikoa and overrides the captain, ordering the gate be opened for the Princess. The guards struggle to hold back the crowd and secure a lane for Fiorah's horse. A wail and horns signal a horde of ga'arg incoming. The crowd becomes hysteric and surges through the gate. Fiorah and Mikoa barely get inside. Guards close the gate, locking people outside. Arron argues to let them in; Dumwarden argues no. Mikoa falls off the horse and into Arron's arms. He carries her into the Palace. The people outside the wall are slaughtered by ga'arg. Chapter 13 (Fiorah - Snow Anchor) Accused “Put on a show and serve the vultures wine!” Mikoa awakes the next day in a parlor where the King is coordinating the Palace defense. Her hand is bandaged, but still hurts. Fiorah watches over her. Fiorah observes Mikoa's features and offers water. They whisper about what happened. Fiorah says that a bright light shot down from the heavens when Mikoa touched the Snow Anchor. Then Mikoa caught fire and Fiorah tackled her. Then an explosion leveled the town. The area around the Snow Anchor is now a massive woespawn. Fiorah apologizes again. The King scolds Mikoa for leaving the Palace. He tells Mikoa he plans to thank Benereau for Fiorah's bravery by offering to buy Fiorah's freedom. Mikoa gets angry because he is not talking directly to Fiorah, thanking her directly, or asking if she even wants to be bought. Fiorah instantly likes Mikoa. Goddard arrives to check on Mikoa. There is an awkward formal distance between them. Grumdar arrives to report that Itaebi Fellstaff is inside the Palace walls, asking for Mikoa to be arrested as ziraduun. Goddard offers to smuggle her out, back to the Holy Thlos. Mikoa objects to leaving, and to hiding from Itaebi. She considers the accusation unjust. The King indicates that the Palace is not safe (it might fall soon to ga'arg) and that Mikoa should leave, but Goddard's royal caravan is too obvious -- Itaebi will definitely search it. Fiorah says she has an idea, and asks for Benereau. Chapter 14 (Itaebi - Snow Anchor) All Titles, Styles, and Rights of Inheritance Itaebi waits for her audience with the King in the banquet hall of Snow Anchor Palace. She commandeered a squire to hold a shadowbane candle and a dreamcatcher. She is irritated -- the King is stalling for time. Her shadowhunters have all the Palace exits covered. Mikoa cannot sneak out. She thinks about how many shadowhunters she lost last night to the explosion and the ga'arg. She remembers how the ghuul of Julenhall called Mikoa ziraduun. Itaebi chastises herself for not investigating it. A crowd of nobles has gathered to watch Princess Mikoa get arrested. They know she has been accused of wizrada. Reports come and go about the fighting outside the Palace walls. The King arrives and takes Itaebi's audience. Itaebi invokes Guild authority, which is higher than the King's. She demands Mikoa. The King chastises her for not helping defend the town. She says that hunting ziraduun is defending the town, and blames Mikoa for the woespawn. She explains how ziraduun can unintentionally open woespawn by overusing wizrada. The King seeks assurances that his daughter will be fairly tried. King Beauregaerd gets a silent signal from Grumdar. He agrees to hand over Mikoa. A woman in rags and chains is escorted through the crowd by Arron Silverspear. He strips Mikoa of her titles and family name. Itaebi suspects foul play. The woman is revealed to be Cassioletta Hart. The King acts shocked, and orders the Palace searched. A shadowhunter rushes to report to Itaebi that Prince Goddard's caravan is trying to leave the Palace. Itaebi assures the King that she will catch Mikoa, and storms out. Chapter 15 (Mikoa - The Road Northeast of Snow Anchor) The Blue Pony “Misdirection and stealth. The best rogue trickery, sufficiently advanced and correctly accomplished, is indistinguishable from magic.” -Journal of the New Guilds Mikoa climbs out of a false-bottomed trunk used for disappearing tricks by the villet solant. She is in a Chalice Moon wagon with Fiorah and Samurrian, heading northeast toward Thrushbrooke. Ardent searched the wagon when it left the Palace, but they did not find Mikoa. The "plan" is to smuggle Mikoa out of Bruhinn and into the Holy Thlos, by way of Cloudport and Illandy. In the Holy Thlos, Prince Goddard can keep her safe and she can get a pardon from the Conclave, if necessary -- the same pardon that Aera wanted. Meanwhile, Goddard is taking a more direct route, through the High Diamond Pass. He will meet them in Nomon Linnor. Fiorah picks a blonde costume wig for Mikoa, and they pick the alias "Mariah." People are fleeing Snow Anchor, heading in all directions. The countryside is unsafe, but gets safer farther away from Snow Anchor. Arron Silverspear catches up with the Chalice Moon and announces that Prince Grumdar ordered him to bodyguard Mikoa all the way to the Holy Thlos. He recognizes Mikoa by her shadow. They bicker briefly. The Chalice Moon arrives in Thrushbrooke and stays at the Blue Pony for the night. The troupe performs in exchange for rooms and food. It is the highlight of the year for the people of Thrushbrooke. Mikoa learns the troupe's names, one by one (Benereau, Fiorah, Samurrian, Tellandriel, Ermeau, Arneauchelaire, Rynn, Vayle, Tommer, and Lorrick). No one in Thrushbrooke recognizes Mikoa. Arron teases Mikoa with a love letter he found in one of the wagons. Mikoa realizes it's one of Goddard's letters that fell from her pocket. She snatches it back. A Bruhinnen patrol, led by Captain Dumwarden, enters the Blue Pony. They are scouting for ga'arg and searching for the fugitive "Witch Princess" Mikoa Lothaen, under orders from Lord Edellion Ulrum (one of King Beauregaerd's rivals). A soldier confronts Mikoa directly and still does not recognize her. Truth is, very few commoners know what their princess looks like. Captain Dumwarden drunkenly fixates on Mikoa and orders her to dance. Mikoa dances awkwardly until Fiorah distracts him, and Mikoa slips away. Chapter 16 (Mikoa - Thrushbrooke) Courtship “To drink from the well is to live; to drink from the ocean is to drown.” -Thlossian proverb The Chalice Moon leaves Thrushbrooke. Fiorah offers to teach Mikoa how to dance, so she can better fit in with the villet solant. Mikoa rejects the idea, suggesting that villet solant dances are undignified. Fiorah is insulted. Captain Dumwarden's patrol overtakes the Chalice Moon and forces them to stop. Dumwarden demands to speak to "Mariah." Mikoa faces him, terrified. His coat is unbuttoned. He apologizes for his bad behavior last night, and offers her a clutch of flowers. He still does not recognize her. Benereau shoos Mikoa back to her wagon, and the patrol leaves. The Chalice Moon heads north. Mikoa thinks about Cassioletta and courtship among commoners. She ponders the love letter from Goddard; the last letter he wrote and the only one she has with her. She realizes how ignorant and sheltered she is. Later that day, at a stop to water the horses, she apologizes to Fiorah and asks for help fitting in. Fiorah confides that Tommer and Lorrick are sneakthieves -- not true villet solant -- as if confessing a scandal. Then she strips naked and dives into the river. Mikoa is terrified of deep water and doesn't know how to swim. She fears water ghuul, like the one at Julenhall. She admires Fiorah's bravery. Mikoa suggests that she can play violin. Fiorah calls it ffidil and is ecstatic. Chapter 17 (Itaebi - North of Snow Anchor) Black Talon Itaebi still has Aera's Red Glass Dagger. She doesn't usually keep mementos of her kills, but she finds it beautiful -- beautifully lethal. Her company of shadowhunters is decimated. Most were killed in Snow Anchor, and only a tiny handful remain. She is angry about Mikoa getting away. After Goddard left, she wasted time searching the Palace, assuming Mikoa was still there. Itaebi assesses her men, weary from evading ga'arg. They don't fight unless they have to. She judges the woespawn at Snow Anchor to be the largest she has ever seen -- perhaps the largest in a thousand years. The King of Bruhinn refused to abandon Snow Anchor Palace, which Itaebi finds foolish. He will be overwhelmed within days. Another Ardent company rides south to meet them, led by Black Talon Furion Windtrail -- a rare calico elf-kin. Itaebi dislikes Furion and considers him young, inexperienced, and reckless. He reports that a nor-folk ziraduun to the north was captured by another Ardent company. Furion turned south to fight the ga'arg. Itaebi outranks him and orders him to focus on capturing the other known ziraduun in Bruhinn. Furion is to find Khazr the Red Gambler in Cloudport, while Itaebi chases Mikoa Lothaen. She cautions Furion that Khazr is very powerful and known to be tricky. Furion is confident it will be no problem. Chapter 18 (Mikoa - Colter's Corner) Once You See It, It Sees You The Chalice Moon rolls north. They see signs of ga'arg attack and refugees on the road. They enter the Windlands and pass mile-markers of old Nylsia. They see a house split down the middle, and Fiorah says there must be a nearby siabra path. Samurrian says that the Grand Boulevard of Cloudport is a siabra path. Mikoa is skeptical. She looks east and wonders if Mount Sinthrall has erupted yet. Before rolling into Colter's Corner for the night, Benereau scolds Fiorah and Samurrian for not doing enough to hide Mikoa's identity. The incident with Captain Dumwarden was too close. The Chalice Moon performs at the Winterbreak Inn, like they did at the Blue Pony. Fiorah pays for food with buttons stolen from an officer's uniform. Mikoa eats quickly and hides in the women's bedroom. Tommer is there, in Vayle's bed. Mikoa observes his tattoos. Mikoa meditates to help fall asleep. She finds herself in a dreamlike copy of Colter's Corner. Nazagorn finds her. Together they hide from a nefarious essence that is looking for Mikoa. Nazagorn explains that usually nobody can see her; she is trapped "between" and is invisible, like the Forgotten Gods. But once Mikoa saw Nazagorn "inside" the Snow Anchor, it helped bring Nazagorn back into reality. Mikoa admits she saw Sinthrall, too. Nazagorn says that's very bad. Sinthrall will be searching for Mikoa, and if he finds her, he can use her to return to the world. Mikoa realizes she's dreaming, but she can't wake up. The evil presence almost finds her. She is jarred awake when Fiorah douses her with water. Mikoa considers that she might be responsible for the destruction of Snow Anchor and the deaths of thousands, but she resists crying. Chapter 19 (Mikoa - Coldwater) Guilty “Would I recognize myself, if I saw me now?” The Chalice Moon rolls north. Mikoa sleeps and practices her ffidil. Her burned hand hurts, and she is out of practice, but she is a natural. They pass refugees and Jeceau brigands on the road. This part of Bruhinn feels lawless, and Mikoa wonders what her father is doing about it. They roll into Coldwater, a town as big as Snow Anchor. The streets are filled with homeless refugees. Many are from the former Jeceau Empire, to the north, which is wracked with civil war. Rumor is that the Ellisais Conclave has been ousted and is now in hiding -- perhaps the final sign that the Jeceau Empire has collapsed. They stay at the Lively Lass, a crude and raucous establishment. Patrons treat the villet solant like strippers. Mikoa hears that Ardent shadowhunters captured a vagrant nor-folk and convicted him of wizardry. His name is Thorn. He is lashed to a post in the town square, in front of the chapel, and will be executed in the morning. Mikoa is disgusted and goes to bed early. She respects the villet solant women for tolerating those men. Mikoa can't sleep because sewage is right outside her window. After everyone else has gone to bed, she angrily goes outside for fresh air. She walks the streets alone, following a feeling. She stumbles across the town square and sees Ardent guarding Thorn. A shadowbane lantern shines on the convict. His head is shaved, his lips are sewn shut, and he is choking on his own blood. That's her fate, if she gets caught. Mikoa tries to run away and bumps into Arron Silverspear, who followed her. He suspected she might try to rescue the ziraduun. She objects. A shadowhunter investigates the noise and startles them. Mikoa panics and, by reflex, blasts the shadowhunter across the courtyard with an uncontrolled geil spell. His body knocks over the shadowbane lantern. The ground shakes, reminiscent of the woespawn at Snow Anchor, but giant roots burst out and snare the Ardent. Mikoa and Arron save Thorn. They cut open his lips and help him back to the Lively Lass. Homeless families, sleeping in the street, watch them go by. They load Thorn into a wagon and wake up Benereau. The Chalice Moon hurries out of Coldwater. Chapter 20 (Mikoa - North of Coldwater) Breath of the Dragh-kin “Every risk has its price.” Benereau is upset about Thorn. Even Fiorah has a hard time understanding why Mikoa rescued him. It is a huge risk. The Chalice Moon stops a safe distance from Coldwater. It is still dark. Benereau demands they leave Thorn behind. Mikoa offers to pay (once they get to Nomon Linnor). Benereau refuses. They argue. A wraeth materializes behind Benereau and impales him through the lung, spraying Mikoa with his blood, then it streaks away, straight through one of the wagons. The Chalice Moon circles to defend itself. Fiorah and Samurrian light torches; Arron draws his sword. Samurrian points out that swords are useless against a wraeth, unless you stab it in the eye. Fiorah takes a huge swig from a stolen flask, then hands the flask to Samurrian. He does the same. They spot the wraeth hiding under a wagon. When everyone's looking at the wagon, the wraeth teleports beside Mikoa. She makes eye contact with it. It is missing one leg. Samurrian tackles Mikoa. The wraeth is consumed by a plume of fire. Fiorah is spitting fire, like a dragh-kin. Screeching in pain, the wraeth flies away. Fiorah ignited a mouthful of liquor to repel the ghuul. Benereau is dying on the grass. Thorn staggers forward and begins magically healing the wound. Unable to speak, he motions for Mikoa to join him. They mesh hands over Benereau's wound, and Mikoa experiences shadow magic. They save Benereau. When they are done, her burn is also fully healed, though her palm is still permanently scarred. The sun rises. Benereau is asleep and recovering. Thorn is exhausted. The Chalice Moon unloads the destroyed wagon and proceeds north. Chapter 21 (Itaebi - North of Coldwater) The Trail Itaebi laments that she is days behind Mikoa and secretly worries that she's lost the trail. It took days to get to Coldwater after she heard about the ziraduun who made a bold escape with the help of some mysterious travelers. If one of them was Mikoa, and if she followed the Illandianerstrand, she could be as far north as Chesny by now. Itaebi interviews homeless refugees who witnessed the escape. Their accounts vary wildly. But the woman is consistently described as blonde, whereas Mikoa has brown hair. Itaebi ponders. She handles the Red Glass Dagger. She considers how easy it would be to kill everyone left in her Ardent company. They are young and unprepared for what happened at Snow Anchor. Quick death would be a mercy. She thinks she might be more effective battling the woe of Haelfaun alone. She rides north into the countryside, to the next clue -- a broken, abandoned wagon. She recognizes it immediately. It is one of the villet solant wagons from Snow Anchor. Itaebi deduces how Mikoa escaped the Palace -- she's traveling in disguise with the villet solant. And now they're carrying a convicted nor-folk ziraduun. They are headed for Cloudport, the only nearby river crossing into the former Jeceau Empire -- also the home of Khazr the Red Gambler, a man who harbors ziraduun. If she takes the Illandianerstrand and they take the back roads, she can catch them there. Before leaving, Itaebi notices a man-shaped silhouette of tall grass and mushrooms beside the road. Three day old contaminated growth, left behind by wizrada. She orders one of her shadowhunters to carefully dispose of the mushrooms, since they will attract ga'arg. Chapter 22 (Mikoa - Jotrfyn) Family Because of Thorn, the Chalice Moon avoids the busy Illandianerstrand and sticks to back roads. Thorn and Benereau are resting. Mikoa wonders why Thorn was unable to free himself. Fiorah explains that the Ardent use shadowbane to neutralize shadow magic. The Chalice Moon are leaderless and disorganized. They pass signs of ga'arg. Mikoa rides on Ermeau's wagon and practices her ffidil. Arron rides alongside and they bicker about how he followed her in Coldwater. Mikoa is angry because she thinks her brother Grumdar sent Arron to babysit her. Mikoa improvises a song, mocking Arron. Fiorah and Ermeau approve. The Chalice Moon gets lost. After some debate, Mikoa is on the verge of taking command, but Tommer steps up. Mikoa and Tommer drive the lead wagon and talk. She asks about his tattoos. He asks about hers. They talk ambiguously about his relationship with Vayle. Mikoa checks for her letter from Goddard. They arrive at Jotrfyn for the night -- Aera's village. Mikoa asks to meet Aera's husband. Someone takes her to a graveyard where Aera's husband and children are buried. He explains that Aera's husband found a glass dagger buried in the fields. Shortly after, Aera lost her mind, murdered her entire family with the dagger, and left town babbling about closing the "door" to Haelfaun. Ardent came through a few days later, looking for her. The villager does not like Ardent. Feeling ill, Mikoa goes to bed. She interrupts Rynn and Vayle having sex but pretends not to notice. There are many things she does not understand. Chapter 23 (Benereau - Cloudport) Hoobel's Spyglass “It is the perverse appetite of man, that he must first gorge himself on war before retiring to admire the peace he thinks he created.” Days after his injury, Benereau slowly recovers. He ponders how an outlaw ziraduun saved his life. When the Chalice Moon stops near a burned out Thlossian chapel on a river, he walks inside. The minister is rebuilding. Benereau questions his faith. He thinks about the fallen Ellisais Conclave and what it means to be Thlossian. He thinks the Ardent might be wrong, and Mikoa might be right. He leaves a lot of gold in the donation bowl. The Chalice Moon rolls into Cloudport. They pass thousands of refugees. They see the Spire of Cloudport. Benereau directs them to Hoobel's Spyglass. They hide the wagons. He affectionately reunites with Adelaine Hoobel. Their relationship is ambiguous. She has a young daughter. Benereau and Adelaine talk. He is apprehensive. She never married and is running the inn alone. He is relieved and sorry at the same time. She takes him into her bedroom for the night. Chapter 24 (Mikoa - Cloudport) The Lucky Owl